Dispensing device



June 22, 1943. M. E. MALTBY ET AL 2,322,531

f DIsPENsING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 22, 1943. M. E. MALTBY ET AL 2,322,531

` DISPENSING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1940l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 www June 22, 1943.

M. i; MALTBY E1- AL DISPENS ING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1940 June 22', 1943. M E MALTBY .g1- AL 2,322,531

DISPENSING DEVICE `Filed. May 28, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 22, M. E. MALTBY ErAL 2,322,531

DI SPENS ING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 22, 1943 UNHTED TES PATENT i'l msPENsING DEVICE Application May 28, 1940, Serial No. 337,624

3 Claims. (Cl. 271-23) This invention relates to dispensing devices for toweling and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a dispensingV device for toweling which has an arresting means for arresting the discharge of toweling after a predetermined length thereof has been discharged and which requires a manual operation to eifect a release of the toweling to permit of a subsequent withdrawal. In the preferred form of construction the manual operation consists of a slight reverse rotation of the measuring roll over which the toweling is trained.

Toweling dispensing devices have heretofore been designed wherein the toweling has its dis charge or withdrawal arrested after a predetermined length thereof has been removed. Time delay mechanisms have been embodied therein which delays the release of the toweling for subsequent withdrawal until a predetermined length of time has elapsed. We have experienced that the time delay mechanisms are frequently rendered useless in such devices by reason of the fact that unauthorized persons either mutilate or destroy the time delay mechanism or adjust it in such a manner that it will not function properly or will function so rapidly after the arrest of the toweling that for all practical purposes the construction operates as if the toweling had not been arrested. When either of these contingencies occur the value of the towel dispensing device is largely destroyed in that users of the towels are able to readily withdraw from the dispenser large amounts of toweling which are more than are necessary for their uses.

It is therefore a specific object of the invention to provide a dispensing device for dispensing toweling having an arresting mechanism which will arrest the discharge of the toweling when a predetermined length thereof has been withdrawn and which will keep the toweling arrested until a conscious manual operation is made to effect a release. The construction may or may not have incorporated therein a time delay mechanism which willrequire a predetermined length of time to elapse between successive withdrawals of toweling but where such a time delay mechanism is incorporated, even though the time delay mechanism is mutilated, destroyed, or removed, the arresting mechanism is such as to prevent the toweling from being continuously withdrawn in more than the desired length. With the improved arrangement, even if the time delay mechanism is removed by unauthorized persons a conscious eiort must be made on the partof the. user to secure a succeeding towel and in this way some saving of the toweling is effected.

More speciiically an object of the invention isA to provide a dispensing device for toweling wherein the toweling is trained over a measuring roll which operates a rotary stop that is arrested when a predetermined length of toweling is withdrawn and to provide a mechanism which` will require a slight rotation of the measuring roll in reverse direction to effect a release. The mechanism may or may not be equipped with an automatic kick out or a means which is loaded on rotationV of the measuring roll and which servesto automatically advance or forwardly rotate the measuring roll upon its release.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed outl in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l is a partialI view in vertical-Sectio taken just inside of the front cover or front wall of the dispenser embodying our invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectiontaken through the dispenser and may be considered as taken substantially upon the line 2 2 upon Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a view in side elevationv of the intere nal working construction of the dispenser and may be regarded as taken substantially upon the line 3-3 upon Fig. 2 in the direction indicated;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating the parts as having been moved from the arresting position shown in Fig. 3 to the position which they assume immediately after release; l

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the'lineE-S upon Fig. 1; l Y

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the parts in the position assumed when discharge of toweling is arrested;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a slightly modified form of construction;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 illustrating a slightly modied form of construction;

Fig. 9 is a plan View illustrating an alternative form of construction embodying the present invention; and

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustratf ing the arresting mechanism employed in the modification illustrated in Fig. 9.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, the improved dispensing device in its preferred form is housed within a suitable cabinet having a back wall Ill, a cover II, a bottom wall I2, and end walls I3 and I4. The cover, front wall and end walls are pivotally mounted as at I4a to enable opening of the dispenser for relling purposes. Inwardly of the end walls there are partitions I5 and I6. In the bottom wall I2 there is formed an outlet opening I1 for the toweling T which is trained over a measuring roll I8 rotatably mounted between the partitions. A pinch roll or follower roll I9 has trunnions slidably disposed in slots 25 in the partitions and this pinch roll or follower roll is urged upwardly into engagementl with the measuring roll by means of a spring ZI. The arrangement of the slots 20 with respect to the measuring roll is to cause the pinch roll or follower roll to rmly engage the end'of the toweling T that is trained over the measuring roll. The measuring roll may be grooved and the bottom wall I2 may extend upwardly as indicated at 22, g

the portions entering the grooves so as to strip the toweling from the measuring roll in the event that` there is any tendency for the toweling to follow around the measuring roll.

The toweling is supplied-t0 the machine in the form of a roll of paper toweling and in the preferred form of construction itV is supported on supporting rails` 24 and 25mounted on the inner faces of the partitions. Adjacent the top of the partition I6 there is an inwardly extending stud 3,

26 which extends inwardly a distance substantially equal to the width of rail 24. We prefer to groove one end of the toweling supply roll with a diametrical groove 21 through which the stud is capable of passing. 'I'his supply roll ts snugly 3,-

between the partitions and the arrangement of the parts is such that on installing the supply roll the groove 21 ymust slip over the stud.` In this way the installation of unauthorized'rolls in the device is prevented, and if rolls are attempted to be installed which are so short as not to engage the stud 26, these rolls will also be so short as to be incapable of being supported by the inclined railsw24 and 25. Y

The invention primarily concerns the mechanism illustrated in various'positions in FigsrB,k 4, and 6. On the end of the measuring roll which extends through partition I5 there is mounted aV A spur gear 28 which meshes with a gear 29 rotatably mounted on the partition I5. the body of the gear 29 is a rotary stop 30 which rotates upon the rotation of the measuring roll and as the toweling T is dispensed. A cam shaft Struck out of i.

lever 3| is pivotally mountedas at 32 and proil Vides a pivoted or movable stop 33 which can be moved into and out of the path of the rotary stop.4 The lever 3I is also equipped with a finger 34 adapted to be engaged by the rotary stop 39. The lever 3| is urged in a clockwise direction by "1- In the top edge of the lever 3| there is formed a shoulder 40`which is adapted to be engaged by a pivoted latch 4I pivoted 'as at 42 and which carries a pivoted back-up pawl 43 engageable with the teeth of gear 29. A spring 44 is anchored at any suitable point on the partition and is con? nected by a link 45 to a pivot 46 on gear 29. The

39 indicates the handle of pivot is so arranged that when the stops 3i! and 33 are engaged to arrest withdrawal of toweling that the spring will be tensioned or loaded and will be urging rotation of gear 29 in that direction that will bring about forward rotation of the measuring roll.

Beneath the pinch roll I9 and 'above the outlet opening I1 there is a severing knife or cutter 41 against which the toweling T may be drawn to i sever the projected portion of the toweling from that portion of the toweling which is still within the housing. Between partition I5 and end wall I4 a handle or knurled disc 48 is mounted on the measuring roll, the forward portion of which projects through the cover of the housing so as to be manually operable.

The'operation 'and advantages of the abovedescribed construction are as follows. Fig. 5 illustrates the position of the toweling when the arresting mechanism is in the position shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3 it will be noted that the plate 31 has been released by the vacuum cup 33, it being assumed that a predetermined period of time has elapsed so asV to permit the required volume of air to enter past needle valve 39 to completely destroy or break the vacuum in the vacuum cup. In this position the stops 30 and 33 engage holding the measuring roll against advance rotation even though it is so biased by spring 44. Lever 3l is held in that position despite the release of the time delay mechanism formed by plate 31 and vacuum cup 38, because of latch 4I remaining in engagement with'shoulder 40. When it is desiredto obtain atowel from the device the handle or knurled disc 48 is reversely rotated a short distance producing reverse rotation of the measuring roll andof gear 28. This produces clockwise rotation of gear/29 and causes pawl 43 to lift the latch'4l out ofV engagement with shoulder 49. As soon as latch 4I is disengaged from shoulder 45, spring 35 swings lever 3l from the position shown'in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4, thus swinging the pivoted or movable stop 33 out of the path of the rotary stop 30. Upon release of the handle or knurled disc 48,

spring 44 then becomes effective toV automatically bring about a short advance' rotation of the measuring-roll to cause the end of the toweling T to be projected through the outlet opening I1. The projecting portion of the toweling may then be grasped and pulled to withdraw a complete towel length. The withdrawal of the toweling causes continued rotation ofthe `measuring roll and consequently a continued rotation of gear 29 in a counter-clockwise direction. As gear 29 rotates the rotary stop 3l! engages finger 34 tilting lever 3I against the action of spring 35 and causes the plate 31 Vto seat upon the vacuum cup 'as indicated in Fig. 6. In this position it will be noted that latch 4I has dropped on the top edge of lever 3l so as to be engageable with shoulder 4I). The withdrawal of toweling is arrested when the rotary stop 3U again engages the pivoted stop 33. When the toweling is arrested it may be pulled against the severing knife 41 to detach the withdrawn portion of the toweling. When 'a predetermined length of time has elapsed plate 31 willbe released bythe vacuum cup and will return from the position shown in Fig. 6 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus completing one entire cycle of operation.

It will be noted that in this form of construction that therneasuring roll is not released merely by the release of plate 31 by the vacuum cup 38, but that in addition thereto, latch 4I must be disengaged from shoulder 40. This requires a slight reverse rotation of the measuring roll by handle 43 a sufficient distance to cause gear 29 to be rotated the required amount to have pawl 43 lift latch 4I above shoulder 40 to enable spring 35 to swing lever 3| `into the position shown in Fig. 4. Consequently, as the mechanism is to a certain extent independent of the time delay means, it is manifest that if the time delay means becomes faulty in operation or is mutilated or destroyed or adjusted so as to be practically instantaneous in its operation, that nevertheless it is impossible to withdraw the toweling in the form of a long continuous sheet. On the contrary, after each operation the toweling is definitely arrested requiring manual reverse rotation of the handle or knurled disc 48 to effect a release of lever 3| by latch 4|. In this way, instead of running the risk of towel users quickly emptying the dispenser by the withdrawal of a long sheet of toweling upon failure of the time delay means conscious effort must be exerted for each towel removed. Of course, when the time delay mech.- anism is functioning properly the lever 3l will be held in the position shown in Fig. 6 for a predetermined length of time following each withdrawal regardless of reverse rotations imparted to the measuring roll by handle 48. Consequently, when the time delay mechanism is functioning properly a predetermined length of time is required between successive withdrawals.

In Fig. 7 the mechanism illustrated is substantially the same as that previously described but illustrating the adaptability of the device to be u'sed without any time delay mechanism whatsoever. In this form of construction the rear end of lever 3| is cut orf and the time delay mechanism is omitted entirely, otherwise all parts are the same in operation as that previously described and are consequently given the same reference characters.

"In Fig. 8 the constructie-n illustrated is the same as that illustrated in Fig. 7 with the exception that link 45 and spring 44 are omitted. The remaining parts are given the `corresponding reference characters. In operating this form of construction there will, of course, not be an automatic kick out or automatic rotation of the measuring roll which will cause the free end of the tOWcling to be automatically projected :u

through the outletopening I7 upon reverse rotation of the handle or disc 28. In this form of construction, after the disc 48 has been reversely rotated to lift and disengage the latch 4| the handle must then be manually rotated in a forward direction to bring about a projection of the free end of the toweling T through the outlet opening I1. After it has been projected a short distance it may then be grasped and pulled to Withdraw a complete towel, the operation of the various elements illustrated in Fig. 8 being the same as that previously described.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the measuring roll 59 has a pinch roll 5| and the pinion or spur gear 52 meshes with gear 53 which is the same form of e."

mediately effective.

or a crank 6|. The operation however is substantially the sainev as that previously described; When it is desired to withdraw a towel crank 6| is reversely turned a sufficient distance to cause gear 53 to be reversely rotated and to make pawl 58 lift the latch 51 to release lever 54. Crank 6| then is turned forwardly causing gear 53 to drive pinion 52 and to rotate the measuring roll 50 to bring about the discharge of toweling. In this form of construction, while it is possible to grasp the projected end of the toweling and to pull it from the device after withdrawal has been start-` ed, it is customary to completely crank out the desired towel length. As gear 53 rotates its stop 62 engages the finger 63 to tilt the lever 54 and seat the time delay means 55. As rotation continues the stop progresses to the point where it engages the movable stop B4 Where rotation is arrested. For a subsequent withdrawalthe crank must be reversely rotated a short distance as previously described.

From the above-described construction it will be appreciated that an improved toweling dispenser is provided which although it may embody a time delay mechanism, is advantageous in that arrest of the discharge of toweling lis not dependent upon the present or proper operation of the time delay means. Even though the time delay means should get out of order or be destroyed or improperly adjusted, the arrest of toweling is assured at each operation of the machine requiring a conscious manual exertion to eiiiect a release `and permit subsequent withdrawal of the toweling. In those forms having a time delay means which is in proper working order a predetermined interval of time is required to ela-pee between successive operations. In those forms equipped with spring 44 and link 45 there is the additional advantage that when release is eiected by the small reverse rotation that the free end of the toweling is automatically projected into a position to be grasped to enable its subsequent withdrawal.

It will be noted that in'those forms of cons-truction which employ time delay means it is possible toreverseiy rotate the measuring roll during the time delay period and thus to lift the latch` 4| out of engagement with shoulder 4S. Usually, the setting of the needle valve is such that as soon as the latch is lifted the vacuum cup tends to expand and allow a very slight movement of the lever 3| under the action of the spring 35. This movement, even though slight, is such that when the latch is thus temporarily lifted it will drop back on top of lever 3| in back of shoulder 45 and remain there until the vacuum cup is completely released. Upon release ofthe vacuum cup under these circumstances the automatic discharge means formed by spring 44 becomes im- Consequently, from the above-described operation a towel user may manually disengage latch 4| immediately after securing a towel and an automatic discharge will subsequently take place as soon as the time period has elapsed. If the towel user does not manualiy dlsengage latch 4! immediatelly after securing his towel, the time period elapses and then a manual operation is required to disengage the latch.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit cr scope of the invention as deined by the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In a toweling dispenser, a gear carrying a rotary'stop rotatable as the toweling is dispensed,

' a piv-oted stop movable into and out of the path of the rotary stop to arrest discharge of the toweling, latch means for latching the pivoted stop in the path of the rotary stop, and means for disengaging the latch operable upon reverse rotation of the gear.

2. In a toweling dispenser, a gear carrying a rotary stop rotatable as the toweling is dispensed, a pivoted stop movable into and out of the path of lthe rotary stop to arrest discharge of the toWeling, latch means for latching the pivoted Y stop in the path of the rotary stop, and means for disengaging the latch operable upon reverse 10 verse rotation of the rotary stop for disengaging the latch means to release the pivoted stop for movement out of the path of the rotary stop.

i MAURICE E. MALTBY.

LAURENCE L. PRICE. 

